


Second Chances

by Mandergee



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: (just mention of Skye and Billy Koenig), F/M, Fluff, Mention of Melinda May's marriage, One Shot, and his thing with May, but no Ward bashing I promise, mention of Ward and his involvement in Hydra, talk of divorce
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-22
Updated: 2014-07-22
Packaged: 2018-02-09 22:23:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2000145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mandergee/pseuds/Mandergee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She'd never pass on a second chance at him. At what they had before.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Second Chances

**Author's Note:**

> So in my headcannon, Melinda May's single marriage was to Phil Coulson. I will forever love that headcannon until proven otherwise.

She stretched and for a moment felt like a cat, the artificial sun warming her bare skin as it shone through the skylight and bathed the room in a soft glow. Beside her he snored softly, the sound so easy and familiar that she thought she could pretend they were married again and it was before everything. Before the world had ended and they'd had to start it all over.

“You're staring at me.” He opened one eye and watched her, pushing himself up on the mattress and leaning forward to place a kiss firmly against her collarbone. “What's on your mind?”

“Everything. Nothing.” May reached out and ran her hand down his back, tracing his spine and the bumps his scar made over the pale skin. She'd been so relieved to see his birthmark was unscathed by Loki's scepter, and her fingers stopped at the tiny cluster that so closely resembled a star. So many evenings long ago she'd lain in bed and traced it when he slept, so many days she'd stared at him as he'd walked away and known that even as their relationship declined it was still there, hidden beneath his shirt. A constant star for her to wish on and now to remind her of why she'd worked so hard to repair what they'd let fall to ruin. What _she'd_ let fall apart, because she'd been in too much disrepair herself. “I love you.”

“I can't tell you how glad I am to hear you say that.” He smiled, reached his own hand out and let his index finger fall against the line of her cheekbone. His thumb caught the bottom of her mouth and she nipped at it gently, the salt stinging her lips “We should have done this a long time ago.”

“You and I both know it wasn't the right time.” They'd both needed to find themselves first, find their answers and solve their mysteries. She'd slept with Ward, wrestled the demons that had followed the discovery that he was Hydra, and too many nights that followed had found her frequenting the gym in an effort to find balance. Coulson had chosen a different path, and with Skye's help he'd begun the process of healing by way of decorating his new office on base. Skye had, not to their surprise, been incredibly resourceful at finding just the right vintage pieces to finalize the style he loved. 

“You're right.” Their legs entwined and he pulled her in, tucked her gently into his arms and wrapped her up in cotton sheets that smelt like cherry blossoms and Old Spice. Once she'd laughed at him for using it, teased him for using something she'd always thought reminded her of thick sweaters and rustic cabins- but now she found it comforting, and buried her face in the sheets to breathe deep. It would cling to her hair until she showered, and she'd smell of him until the water washed it away. “You usually are. How did I forget that?”

She chuckled softly. “Things _do_ change, Phil.”

“Things change, yes, but one thing doesn't.” His grasp tightened and she could feel him press his face into her hair. “You've changed, Melinda, but what you are hasn't. You're loyal. I'm sorry I didn't remember that.”

“You didn't _forget_. You just...couldn't see it for a while. And I lied to you- I shouldn't have. If I'd said no to Fury...”

“Then you might not have come with us. And I can't think of how we would have made it this far without you.” They lapsed into silence and she wondered if he'd fallen asleep. If she could fall asleep again, ensconced in his arms and feeling loved. Knowing that  _he_ loved her. If they'd never gotten divorced, no doubt things would have gone much differently. If they'd still been  _married_ she wondered if he would have been in New York or if it might have been her. If Bahrain hadn't happened and she'd stayed in the field...  _If, if, if._

“What if-”

“Shh. Go back to sleep. It's still early.” He murmured into her hair again and she heard  _I love you_ , buried in the thick brown strands as he inhaled the scent that was her and began to snore again. Her eyes found the digital face of the clock and she realized he was right, that despite the 'sun' it was only four-thirty, and she hadn't planned on tai chi until six that day.Skye was grateful for the chance to sleep in, and  _she'd_ been grateful for the opportunity to get up at five-thirty and sneak back into her room unseen. No one was awake that early, not even Koenig, who had proven himself thus far to be as eager as his brother. 

So May closed her eyes and let the rise and fall of Coulson's chest against her back lull her into comfort while the warmth of his skin merged with hers. They had a second chance at things- at S.H.I.E.L.D., at life, and at each other- so when she woke up again she intended to take it all head on. 

She wouldn't throw a second chance away.

_Not a second chance at this_ .


End file.
